


Hope Triumphant

by I_Gave_You_Fair_Warning



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Baby-Adoring Obi-Wan, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Happily Ever After Implied, NO DEATH, Safe to Read, fix-it AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-17
Updated: 2017-09-19
Packaged: 2018-12-30 19:44:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12115899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Gave_You_Fair_Warning/pseuds/I_Gave_You_Fair_Warning
Summary: Anakin made a different choice in Palpatine's office that evening with Windu. Everything changes because of it, including cuddles. And cute Skywalker babies.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kyer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kyer/gifts).



 

The moment Anakin Skywalker laid eyes on Obi-Wan Kenobi, he knew he'd made the right decision.

He'd known it before, of course, when he moved to assist Mace in the Chancellor's office. When he chose to fight destiny instead of play into the hands of a manipulative and greedy old man.

Known it when Mace Windu, upon the defeat and death of the Sith had fallen to his knees, tears streaming from his eyes, whispering broken words that Anakin managed to piece together into the equivalent of _it's all going to be okay._

Apparently the shatterpoints, whisperings of approaching disaster and hell that had haunted the man for well over a decade, had eased.

But it was standing there on the landing platform, seeing Obi-Wan shove his way through the crowds of milling people in his direction, sending people stumbling out of his path, that Anakin's knees began to tremble.

He couldn't walk to meet him. Couldn't seem to move at _all._ It was all he could do to keep standing upright until Obi-Wan's arms were around him, holding him up, crushing him close, a saber-calloused hand cradling his head as if he were the most precious thing in the universe.

The Force rumbled through Obi-Wan, stunning Anakin with the strength of his gratitude, love, pride, relief—

Over Obi-Wan's shoulder, Anakin caught sight of Cody. The man gave him a sober nod, silent thanks for protecting his mind from being taken over to murder his Jedi.

Anakin tried to nod back but couldn't seem to command his muscles that far. Obi-Wan pulled back, a hand on his cheek, fire in his eyes. “We are going to save Padmé. And your children.”

“Can we?”

“Hell, _yes_.”

It turned out that Obi-Wan's considerable willpower wasn't actually needed to bring that to pass. Padmé Amidala and the twins she carried passed through the birthing process unharmed, never once having experienced genuine danger.

Anakin hadn't quite expected the near worship in Obi-Wan's eyes when Anakin handed him the just-born Luke so he could “catch” Leia. It took long moments before Anakin was able to tear his eyes away from his daughter's face, his perfect, messy little baby girl, but Padmé was demanding to see—

Anakin turned, found Padmé alternately staring into Luke's scrunched-up face while Obi-Wan held him close, and impatiently frowning at Anakin to _hurry up._

_I thought you would hate me for this,_ Anakin mused as he met Obi-Wan's dazed and _so fripping happy_ smile. _How little did I know you._

That smile may have lost some of its sheer wonder over the weeks ahead, but certainly none of its devotion.

Pacing Padmé's balcony in the middle of the night through hours and hours of screaming, Obi-Wan holding Leia and Anakin, Luke, Anakin witnessed a quiet patience and love that warmed his soul.

And when finally the children fell into an exhausted slumber, allowing the two Jedi to sag onto the floor for just a moment— they would put the children in the cribs as soon as they could make their feet move again—

Padmé felt no surprise at all to find all four cuddled together when she returned home from the Senate, and with a smile of pride and fondness she tucked a blanket around them, pressing a light kiss to the head of each one in turn.

And none of them, not even Obi-Wan, stirred from their deep slumber.

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

“With the war over and the Sith neutralized, you no longer have need of me,” Anakin spoke, his tone clear and respectful. He glanced to Obi-Wan, saw the slight nod of encouragement, and forged ahead. “And my heart is elsewhere. It hasn't been with the Order for a long time.”

Why...  _ why  _ were they smiling at him? He'd expected thunderous expressions, at the least—

Fisto was grinning and Yoda looked positively delighted, offering up, “Proud of you, I am.”

“Master?” Anakin asked, bewildered. “But I'm leaving.”

“Yourself, you finally know. Only ever good, such self-honesty is. And made a choice you have, spoken to us well and firmly. Our respect you keep as you go, Anakin Skywalker. Allies here, you will always have.”

Obi-Wan didn't look shocked. Instead, he smiled at Anakin, his eyes sparkling.

_ Why didn't you just tell me my terror was pointless? Why did you let me struggle through this decision? _

And then Anakin knew.  _ Following the path of least resistance was what I've been doing up to now. I needed to make my decision, choose to take whatever fallout would come, and then face it with a backbone. _

_ And you know what? Good. I can be proud of myself for today. And it's been a long time since I've felt that. _

_Thank you, Master._

Anakin opened his saber, summoned the crystal into his hand, and gave the hilt over to Obi-Wan. It felt  _ good  _ to let go of it. To no longer bear the weight of responsibility such a symbol wielded. The crystal hummed warm in his hand, delighted at his current path.

It was with a heart a thousand times less burdened that he walked out of the Council chamber no longer a knight.

 

* * *  
  


“Obi-Wan?” Yoda prompted, starling the lost-in-thought master. “Words for us, have you?”

“What? No?”

Mace arched an eyebrow at him. “I half expected you to hand in your resignation with Skywalker's.”

Obi-Wan looked surprised. “I have no desire to leave the Jedi.”

“Hmm. True, that is, but leave the conflict, the danger, the  _ flying _ , I think,  _ hmm _ ?”

Through a blush, the younger Jedi frowned. “And here I thought that with Anakin leaving  _ those  _ jokes would go away?”

“Enjoyed conflict, you never have. Always longing,  _ books  _ to peruse,  _ thoughts  _ to think,  _ knowledge  _ to learn.”

Obi-Wan ducked his head, murmuring, “Perhaps there will be more time for that now.”

“Or consider something other than mission taking, you could.”

“Master?”

 

* * *

 

When Obi-Wan approached them, looking shy and unsure of himself, Padmé Amidala felt fairly certain what he was going to say. Somehow, the same guess had not occurred to Anakin, because he stared in open dismay at the request.

“But—  _ Obi-Wan,  _ you fought so  _ hard  _ to  _ escape  _ AgriCorps!”

Obi-Wan shifted, looking just a  _ little  _ uncomfortable. “I think it's time I gave it another try. But I understand. I will find another place to stay.”

“ _ Boys, _ ” Padmé interrupted. “Anakin, don't you think Varykino is large enough so that if he wanted, Obi-Wan could have a whole wing to himself and never once encounter another living being,  _ or  _ he could be as involved in our day-to-day life as he liked?”

Anakin's eyes widened. “Wait—  _ what _ ?”

“That's what he's asking, Dear. He's transferred to the Corps, has far more autonomy than he had before, he can live away from the Temple, choose his own missions, and spend the rest of his days mulling over books if he likes, and he'd  _ like  _ to do it in our home.”

Obi-Wan bowed, edging for the door. “I am terribly sorry— I'll just—”

“No, you don't!” Anakin chided. “ _ Yes,  _ I want you to come home with us! How are we going to survive the twins' infancy unless adults outnumber the babies?”

Padmé pretended to consider it. “Ah, yes. We certainly could work something out, if Obi-Wan was willing to assist with child care every once in a while. It would be good if you weren't all alone when I have to leave for Senatorial duties.”

“Is... that a yes?” Obi-Wan asked, sounding almost timid.

Anakin beamed. “ _ Yes,  _ that's a yes!”

Relief spilled across Obi-Wan's face.

“As long as  _ you're  _ sure you're okay with not being on the Council and taking missions anymore. Won't you get...  _ bored _ ?” Anakin worried.

Obi-Wan snorted a laugh. “Dear  _ Force,  _ all I've wanted these past ten years was  _ quiet  _ and a little peace.”

“But plants? I don't think Naboo needs much help.”

“No, but I can research, then take visits off-planet. Naboo's moon is fairly well stripped by the old mines, and close to losing its native wildlife.”

Hope welled in Padmé's heart. “That is a project you're considering?”

“It is. If the Naboo government is willing to allow me to putter about.”

“Somehow, I  _ really  _ doubt anyone's going to have a problem with it.”

And of course they didn't.

 

* * *

 

A pair of wide blue eyes peered in the doorway beneath a mop of blond curls. Flimsis scattered everywhere, datapads, a few  _ honest  _ bound books—

The room at the end of the long hall was mysterious,  _ magical,  _ and the man bending over a paper, scratching away with a pen, spectacles on his nose, his hair just slightly graying, was the wizard.

_ Open one of those cupboards, and who knows what I might find! _

Luke inhaled deeply, loving the smell of old leather and the tea that belonged uniquely to Uncle Obi-Wan.

Leia hated sitting still, and she had little interest in this room. But Luke  _ knew.  _ The greenhouse with its thousands of tiny pots was connected to  _ here  _ somehow. 

The scratching of the pen paused, and Luke spun out of the doorway to press his back to the wall, gasping. Had he been  _ seen _ ?

“I seem to have a strange visitor,” the warm voice drifted out the door. “An invisible little sprite. Has it come to bring good fortune to my efforts?”

“What's a sprite?” Luke asked, too curious about the word to remember he was hiding.

“Ah, so it has a voice. A sprite is a small creature that offers kindness and assistance to those in need of it. Of course, they might just be a fairytale, a beautiful story that does not exist.”

Luke giggled. “If they don't exist, why are you  _ talking  _ to one?”

“Ah. Silly me,” the old man chuckled back. “It seems to me this sprite is about four years old?”

“ _ Five.  _ I'll be six  _ tomorrow. _ ”

“Ah! Congratulations are in order, then. What a grown up creature you are. Tell me, out of all the many rooms in this massive house, why did you pick this one?”

“It smells nice.”

“Does it?”

“And it's filled with life that hasn't happened yet. And then I sleep, and then the life is  _ there  _ in the garden inside. The house that's green. And from there it flies into the sky and lands on the moon, Mom says.”

“Your mother is very wise.”

“How do you make plants grow on the moon?”

“By listening to their whispers,” replied the voice, sounding mysterious.

Luke laughed again. “Plants don't have  _ voices, _ ” he chided. He wasn't  _ four  _ anymore, he  _ knew  _ things now!

“Ah, but they do, when you listen... very... closely.”

Luke couldn't stand the suspense anymore, so he edged around the doorframe, around the desk, and stood with a grin as Obi-Wan looked down at him over the spectacles. “There was no sprite! It's just me! But you didn't know it was me!” The thought was delightful! Even  _ Uncle Obi-Wan  _ thought  _ anything  _ could happen in this room.

_ Told Leia it was special. _

The man lifted him onto his knee so he could see the papers on the desk. “How long is it going to be before the moon is green?”

“It's starting to be green now,” was the reply.

But  _ that  _ wasn't true at all. “No, it's  _ not _ ,” Luke argued. “I look at it every night,  _ very closely,  _ and it's still silver.”

“Ah. You won't be able to see it until you get right up close.”

“Is the moon happy? Leia thinks it's sad.”

“It's been sad for a very long time, but it's starting to be a little happy again. Perhaps a lot more in the future. There have been some very nasty acid pools that made it dangerous to walk there, and some of these plants are capable of cleaning it up.”

“Are  _ you  _ happy?”

Arms wrapped around him, hugging him close.

“Yes, Luke. Very.”

“I told Leia you used to sing to us when we were little and she said I was wrong. But I  _ remember. _ ”

“Do you, now? Then it'll be our secret.”

* * *

 

Anakin found he wasn't particularly surprised to find Cody standing on their doorstep six years to the day after the war's end.

He was less surprised when, after a few hours of intense talking behind closed doors, Obi-Wan sought him out to ask if the clone could stay.

That hadn't been a difficult permission to give.

 

* * *

 

Cody had tried it. Everyone had been so insistent that  _ freedom  _ was the best thing in all the universe, and that he needed to figure out how to be his  _ own man,  _ and that he could do anything he liked now—

So he'd given it a solid attempt. Hell, he'd given it  _ six fripping years.  _

And none of it felt like it mattered.

Maybe his Jedi didn't fight on battlefields anymore. Maybe he fought weeds instead.

No, that wasn't what Cody had envisioned he'd end up doing when thinking of the future as a little cadet, but if he did it by his Jedi's side, all would be well.

Fortunately, this Jedi  _ listened  _ when he explained his predicament, and didn't seem interested in sending him to  _ another  _ therapist.

That night, when he lowered himself into a bed far too soft, and knew his Jedi was preparing for slumber just down the hall, Cody found contentment  _ finally  _ filling his soul.

He fell asleep quickly that night, and experienced the best sleep he'd had in his entire life.

He was where he belonged.

 

* * *

 

Obi-Wan stood on the porch, staring up at the moon.

He didn't look away when Anakin stepped to his side in the soft light.

“All that's needed is time, now. Time to grow, live, spread.” Obi-Wan shook his head. “It feels strange, to recognize I've  _ completed  _ something. To know  _ good  _ has come of my efforts, to see so much life where there was only repulsive mud before.”

Anakin watched his face. “You're going to have to go, aren't you.”

“Yes.” Now Obi-Wan looked to him, a strange mixture of hope and longing in his eyes. “I can  _ do  _ something. And no one has  _ died,  _ Anakin, it feels so  _ good. _ ”

Anakin gave a nod. “How long will you be gone?”  
“Just long enough to steal soil samples from Mandalore.”

“ _ What _ ?”  
Obi-Wan nodded. “Once the fighting there is over, I want to have a collection of plants ready to start reshaping the surface. It's been dead for too long, Anakin. It could be  _ whole  _ again.”

“I'm coming with you.”  
“I have Cody.”  
“All due respect to Cody, but I'm going to fly the two of you in, and then back out again. Don't miss the danger, my  _ ass. _ ”

Obi-Wan scowled up at him, but he couldn't hold the mock-severe glower long. “One more mission, then?”

“If you think  _ this  _ is the  _ last  _ stupid thing you're going to drag me into because of your obsession with fixing broken planets, you're crazy.”

“The kind of crazy that appeals to you?” Obi-Wan retorted, tone demure.

Anakin felt his heart warm and he grinned. “Just the perfect kind of crazy. Let's go get that dirt.”

 


End file.
